Growing up in New York, the biggest compliment you could give someone was to say they were “Street Smart.” This indicated that the individual knew how to get things done, with a common-sense, no-nonsense approach to life. This same common sense approach is what makes Street Marketing ideal for the small business owner looking to make a big impression on a limited budget.
Street Marketing is based on the same foundations as traditional marketing; clear goals, a concise description of a target customer, and a well-thought-out plan.
The difference is a matter of focus!
Unless you have the marketing budget of Coca Cola or McDonalds, you really don’t have enough funds to support a true mass market campaign, one that reaches every consumer. Street marketers narrow their audience down to the people who are most likely to buy. They spend marketing money to reach a concentrated group multiple times, instead of trying to hit everyone once. This does not mean that they limit who they sell to, but simply who they are actively trying to reach with marketing materials.
Street Marketing requires a lot of work
How do you decide where you invest your money? Take the time to do some analysis and planning up front. Study your past sales, where does most of your business come from?
Also take the time to look outside. Look at census data and local real estate and business publications to discover neighborhood trends. Your local chamber of commerce may have additional insight into where the “action” is.
And finally, do your competitors ignore any subgroups or communities? Each of these groups can become attractive targets. Make sure the community you select is large enough to support your business goals. Then plan your attack.
Your goal is to get their attention. It’s about reaching the right customers, with the right message, at the right time. Instead of running a 1/8 page ad in the Sunday paper, along with five of your competitors, consider purchasing a larger ad in a smaller newspaper or neighborhood directory. You are more likely to be noticed and remembered for supporting your community. And if you advertise regularly, these smaller newspapers are more likely to make room for your news releases and informational articles.
Be on the streets regularly – Be consistent!
If you join an association, attend meetings regularly. You won’t necessarily get referrals the first time you attend a networking meeting. But wait, as you become part of the “regular” crowd, the opportunities will come your way.
Consistency makes your message more noticeable in other ways, too. Make sure all of your marketing material; advertisements, brochures, door signs, postcards, websites, trucks, bills and yard signs all appear as if they are part of the same company. Use the same fonts and colors in everything you do. Always place your logo and phone number in the same position on all your advertising material. This will train your customers over time where to look for the information they need.
Work smart and not hard
Effective marketing doesn’t require you to spend a lot of money, it simply requires that what you spend, you spend wisely. You don’t have to outspend the biggest competitor in town to be successful; you just have to leave it behind on the street.
